Sweetgums are very beautiful trees. I love the star-shaped leaves, amazing fall colors, the neat-looking gum balls that hang like ornaments in the winter, and the appearance of the bark on mature sweetgum trees. I’ve also seen lots of large, open-grown sweetgums with wonderfully thick and shady canopies. These are easily of of my favorite types of tree.
Sweetgum is a powerhouse native that supports a wide variety of wildlife- from the flowers that feed the ruby-throated hummingbird, to the myriad of other birds that eat its seeds- including the purple finch, American goldfinch, chickadee, morning dove, slate-colored junco, northern bobwhite quail, eastern towhee, evening grosbeak, pine siskin, yellow-bellied sapsucker, white-throated & white-crowned sparrow as well as squirrels and chipmunks. It is also the host plant for over 30 species of butterflies and moths, including the Luna moth. Sweetgum seed balls also contain oseltamivir, which is the active ingredient in Tamiflu! Their benefits FAR outweigh their detriments!
WOW! Thank you for all of this information. I have one of these trees and I've seen Luna moths near my home. Now I know why. I'm going to plant more to attract these beautiful critters. I imagine that the pods keep people at a distance as well. Now it's my new favorite tree.
Thank you for this video! I didn't know the variety of the trees in my front yard. I have two giant Sweetgum trees in my front yard very close to my home / foundation. These trees have to at lease be 50 years old and your right those seed pods are not fun to step on lol
After all videos I was trying this one was the only one that actually explained what I needed! And that was to see actual liquidambar seeds. Thank you taking the time to share.
I went camping in late January in north Florida and noticed these seed pods everywhere. I took a few back home with me but since it was really late in the winter season all the seed pods were empty. After some searching through them I found two winged seeds still in the pod, one was broken and another looked okay. I planted that one, watered the garden plot and waited 3 weeks and when it did germinate it was really weak and didn't survive for more than a few days. This guide was really helpful and I am planning on trying again so I can have a nice sweetgum tree in the back of my yard. Thanks for the info!
The dried sweetgum balls actually make a great mulch slugs hate them as do cats 😎👌and they allow for great air flow and allows water to pass through easily keeping a majority of pest contained long enough for my beneficial insects to take a hold of the situation
What great information on the misunderstood gum tree. I have a slug problem now solved. Nice to know why the feral cats stay away from that side of my yard. I imagine these pods will keep intruders away as well.
Great video! I subscribed to your channel. This Sweetgum tree is in my apartment complex in front of the building. The seed balls present a hazard in the parking area every fall. It is gorgeous, but the landscapers that planted it decades ago obviously were not privy to the issues that you pointed out about the trees as they mature.
Great video, thanks! I will be collecting several green spike balls tomorrow. I want to grow these primarily for their amazing Fall colors and the sweet smell.
I think I finally figured out what our Shih-Tzu is hunting for and eating on our walks. She apparently is quite fond of the sweet gum seeds! I regularly harvest the balls to keep from stepping on them and I'm sure there must be seeds that have fallen out of the balls. I was initially worried that she might be finding something she shouldn't be eating but was relieved to get a close up look at the seeds to confirm that's what she apparently just loves!! She keeps her nose to the ground and will often find some and eat them. They're too small to be able to tell that's what she's found. I've seen robins and other birds patrolling that same area as well.
When is the optimum time to harvest the green balls for making the extract? When is the optimum time to harvest the balls for seed harvesting to later sow them? I'm in zone 7A NJ. Thanks.
Optimum time for harvesting gum balls for planting would be in the fall, when they are mature. You can harvest green ones around the end of October and wait for them to dry out and open up, or you can find some already opened brown ones that still have seeds inside of them.
I first saw them in Venice Florida. Saw the unique spiky green ball. Did not know what it was. Tried to identify with no luck: I am visiting Kansas City Missori and saw the green spiky balls and was able to make an identification now. The range of temperatures this tree can tolerate..!! I would love to see its fall colors.
Cool video! I have a couple of seed balls that I picked up at the NY Botanical Gardens! Going to see how they stratify outdoors a couple of hours North! (Popping outdoors during this cold snap...they were dry & brown when I found them). I'll let you know if I have any luck!
Hello Dave. Thanks for the info. In the small patch of woods behind my house I have a number of sweetgum trees but have had a negative view of them. However, a few miles from where I live is the most beautiful sweetgum I have ever seen. A professor in a college of forestry identified it for me. He called it an Asian Sweetgum. I don't know if it is the same thing as a Chinese Sweetgum?? In the Fall the Asian Sweetgum's leaves turn a solid yellow/golden. It is spectacular. I'm hoping to use your recommedations to start some of these in my woods. Are you familiar with the Asian Sweetgum?
Thanks for making this video. I found sweetgum balls in southern Brazil, however, these are not native to our region for which reason your explanation was helpful in order to understand how to harvest their seeds.
I think it's possible for the tree species to spread there up to 25-30 degrees south in Brazil. It's not really an arbitrary line but these trees are deciduous and require cooler temps and lower sunlight when the sun is lower in April-May? I think that is when autumn occurs in the southern hemisphere for you guys. I live in Florida and see them often and they turn spectacular shades of red in late November.
I decided they would be the best tree for my horse pasture. Their gum balls won’t bother us because we would not be walking barefoot in the horse pen, they won’t bother the horses and they’re not poisonous to horses. Plus there won’t be any structures they can bother. I may plant a different type of tree around the barn.
You can if you still are able to find seeds in them. Usually by this point many of the seeds have already been disbursed but if there are any you definitely can start stratifying them.
Heck no! I wouldn’t want to grow them. My TH backyard has one growing over it and the spike balls are hell! No grounding for me but interesting info. Esp about the syrup part. Thks
@@Growingthehomegarden hmmm ok thanks maybe I’ll replace with Japanese maple and move the sweetgum to my backyard I can put it a good 25 to 30 feet away
Can someone please tell me if I am too late to put my seeds in the fridge? I dried out the pods about 3 weeks ago and now I have the seeds. Am I too late to put the seeds in the fridge?
I think you will be fine to do stratification then a mid summer planting. Although if you had them outdoors this winter you may be able to simply plant them out as they may have received natural stratification.
@@Growingthehomegarden thank you so much for responding. I am in Western Australia and we are still in Autumn. Winter starts in June but it doesn’t get that cold here. I think i will pop them in the fridge for a month, then leave them on a window ledge. Thanks for you help. Much appreciated ! 👍🏼
@@Growingthehomegarden Hi Dave, just following on from my last comment. I have now grown my seedlings after keeping them in the fridge for a few weeks and sewing them in my seedling tray. They have grown just over one inch tall. Very exciting! Could you please tell me when I should move them into a bigger pot?
Thank you very much for the legitimate information, big love and respect from Pakistan, I just wanted to ask that, is this tree can grow in hot countries like Pakistan? As there temperature can reach up to 40 degrees in summer. If you could guide me on that as well. Thank you
👍 New subscriber Came to this video to learn all about gum ball trees. I love 🌳 🌲 🌴.. Was wondering can I pick off tree and plant in ground. If so how many feet I go in ground?
I haven't tried that so I can't say for sure. Normally the seeds would naturally fall out of the seed balls then land and germinate there. I wouldn't plant them very deep at all.
Generally you purchase a tap which is a metal tube with a hook for a bucket. There is a certain time of year in your area that will be ideal so you'll need to look up when to tap trees in your area. It's usually when the sap is flowing well. Warming days and cool nights. I've seen people use tubes and have the tubes empty into a sealed gallon jug to keep dirt and bugs out. I've never tapped before but it's something I'd like to try one of these days!
Do animals like the sap from this tree? I'd like to tap the tree for maybe hummingbirds and butterflies. This is the best information about the sweet gum tree.
I don't really know. There will be sugar content in the sap but I don't know if it would be what hummingbird would like. Possibly. If you try it let me know how it works!
A flat is a planting tray that is used for sowing large amounts of seeds all together. Once things grow to a certain size they are then repotted to larger containers.
They are pretty but... I'm on the hate side lol. They are everywhere on our property. It seems like they have huge roots on top of the soil that are always creating shoots or whatever. The stupid balls will literally trip a person. Ugh they hurt my soul.
I was on the negative side until I learned many things about them. The beautiful little chicadee birds love them. They eat from the balls at the top of the tree. I plan to tap the syrup and make tea. It helps treat the flu! I'm still learning.
That's a shame, because these trees offer a lot of natural benefits.. The balls can be harvested while green, cut up and put in vodka, or rum and an extract can be made of them. This extract is a natural anti-inflamatory and is also the active ingredient in tamaflu. You are basically getting near free natural medicine, much better than the over the counter and prescribed junk.. The sap from the tree has other purposes as well.
![[SFM] Risky Recital](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RzNkY1_Nk3o/mqdefault.jpg)
For an update on the seedlings I started check out this video: ruclips.net/user/shortsaCD9681Rdjc
Sweetgums are very beautiful trees. I love the star-shaped leaves, amazing fall colors, the neat-looking gum balls that hang like ornaments in the winter, and the appearance of the bark on mature sweetgum trees. I’ve also seen lots of large, open-grown sweetgums with wonderfully thick and shady canopies. These are easily of of my favorite types of tree.
This time of year they are breathtaking!
Sweetgum is a powerhouse native that supports a wide variety of wildlife- from the flowers that feed the ruby-throated hummingbird, to the myriad of other birds that eat its seeds- including the purple finch, American goldfinch, chickadee, morning dove, slate-colored junco, northern bobwhite quail, eastern towhee, evening grosbeak, pine siskin, yellow-bellied sapsucker, white-throated & white-crowned sparrow as well as squirrels and chipmunks. It is also the host plant for over 30 species of butterflies and moths, including the Luna moth. Sweetgum seed balls also contain oseltamivir, which is the active ingredient in Tamiflu! Their benefits FAR outweigh their detriments!
WOW! Thank you for all of this information. I have one of these trees and I've seen Luna moths near my home. Now I know why. I'm going to plant more to attract these beautiful critters. I imagine that the pods keep people at a distance as well. Now it's my new favorite tree.
The smell of these leaves in the autumn is incredible
Thank you for this video! I didn't know the variety of the trees in my front yard. I have two giant Sweetgum trees in my front yard very close to my home / foundation. These trees have to at lease be 50 years old and your right those seed pods are not fun to step on lol
Only bad ones to plant next to your home is tulip poplar and white pines because of the roots
After all videos I was trying this one was the only one that actually explained what I needed! And that was to see actual liquidambar seeds.
Thank you taking the time to share.
You're very welcome, I'm glad it was helpful!
I went camping in late January in north Florida and noticed these seed pods everywhere. I took a few back home with me but since it was really late in the winter season all the seed pods were empty. After some searching through them I found two winged seeds still in the pod, one was broken and another looked okay. I planted that one, watered the garden plot and waited 3 weeks and when it did germinate it was really weak and didn't survive for more than a few days. This guide was really helpful and I am planning on trying again so I can have a nice sweetgum tree in the back of my yard. Thanks for the info!
Thank you for showing us how to take the next step with our environment
The dried sweetgum balls actually make a great mulch slugs hate them as do cats 😎👌and they allow for great air flow and allows water to pass through easily keeping a majority of pest contained long enough for my beneficial insects to take a hold of the situation
Very good points!
Nice thanks for that tip! I wanna like this tree it’s so easy to hate it. I’ll be trying this for sure!
Thank you for this. Our yard is covered with them and we've always wondered how we could use them!
What great information on the misunderstood gum tree. I have a slug problem now solved. Nice to know why the feral cats stay away from that side of my yard. I imagine these pods will keep intruders away as well.
Great video! I subscribed to your channel. This Sweetgum tree is in my apartment complex in front of the building. The seed balls present a hazard in the parking area every fall. It is gorgeous, but the landscapers that planted it decades ago obviously were not privy to the issues that you pointed out about the trees as they mature.
Great video, thanks! I will be collecting several green spike balls tomorrow. I want to grow these primarily for their amazing Fall colors and the sweet smell.
Did you ever grow any?
I have several seedlings in pots right now. They are about 2 to 3 inches tall. Just haven't gotten to do an update video.
I think I finally figured out what our Shih-Tzu is hunting for and eating on our walks. She apparently is quite fond of the sweet gum seeds! I regularly harvest the balls to keep from stepping on them and I'm sure there must be seeds that have fallen out of the balls. I was initially worried that she might be finding something she shouldn't be eating but was relieved to get a close up look at the seeds to confirm that's what she apparently just loves!! She keeps her nose to the ground and will often find some and eat them. They're too small to be able to tell that's what she's found. I've seen robins and other birds patrolling that same area as well.
They can be food for all manner of animals, although I didn't think of Shih-Tzus when making this video! lol
Great idea if you plan to spend your weekend raking and raking and raking
Not everyone likes them and they do have some issues. Their fall color though is amazing.
😂😅😊
Thanks for the video. I found the spiky balls on the ground and wanted to know how to grow trees from them.
Great video! Thanks for sharing. 🎉
Thanks for watching!
When is the optimum time to harvest the green balls for making the extract? When is the optimum time to harvest the balls for seed harvesting to later sow them? I'm in zone 7A NJ. Thanks.
Optimum time for harvesting gum balls for planting would be in the fall, when they are mature. You can harvest green ones around the end of October and wait for them to dry out and open up, or you can find some already opened brown ones that still have seeds inside of them.
These trees are basically the maple trees of the South. You can even see them in Florida.
They can be pretty common depending on where you are. Beautiful fall color!
I first saw them in Venice Florida. Saw the unique spiky green ball. Did not know what it was. Tried to identify with no luck: I am visiting Kansas City Missori and saw the green spiky balls and was able to make an identification now. The range of temperatures this tree can tolerate..!! I would love to see its fall colors.
We have them in WNY
Cool video! I have a couple of seed balls that I picked up at the NY Botanical Gardens! Going to see how they stratify outdoors a couple of hours North! (Popping outdoors during this cold snap...they were dry & brown when I found them). I'll let you know if I have any luck!
Nitrogen Fixer is the sweet gum
Thank you so much for your advice.
Hello Dave. Thanks for the info. In the small patch of woods behind my house I have a number of sweetgum trees but have had a negative view of them. However, a few miles from where I live is the most beautiful sweetgum I have ever seen. A professor in a college of forestry identified it for me. He called it an Asian Sweetgum. I don't know if it is the same thing as a Chinese Sweetgum?? In the Fall the Asian Sweetgum's leaves turn a solid yellow/golden. It is spectacular. I'm hoping to use your recommedations to start some of these in my woods. Are you familiar with the Asian Sweetgum?
Great tree for a climber or a hang on!
Thank you sir. Very good information. Like you I love Liquidambar sweetgum trees for their beautiful leaf foliage.
Thanks! I'm making some seedlings in the south of Brazil.
Our goats ❤️ to eat the leaves!
Would they eat the green spike balls
Thank you for the awesome video!
Thanks for making this video. I found sweetgum balls in southern Brazil, however, these are not native to our region for which reason your explanation was helpful in order to understand how to harvest their seeds.
I think it's possible for the tree species to spread there up to 25-30 degrees south in Brazil. It's not really an arbitrary line but these trees are deciduous and require cooler temps and lower sunlight when the sun is lower in April-May? I think that is when autumn occurs in the southern hemisphere for you guys. I live in Florida and see them often and they turn spectacular shades of red in late November.
I decided they would be the best tree for my horse pasture.
Their gum balls won’t bother us because we would not be walking barefoot in the horse pen, they won’t bother the horses and they’re not poisonous to horses. Plus there won’t be any structures they can bother. I may plant a different type of tree around the barn.
Except they get in mane and tail 😬😬
Waking around barefoot doesn't matter. Just waking around in shoes without twisting an ankle is an accomplishment.
Excellent! It works!!
Can I harvest them in December and store seeds in the fridge until March or April?
You can if you still are able to find seeds in them. Usually by this point many of the seeds have already been disbursed but if there are any you definitely can start stratifying them.
Heck no! I wouldn’t want to grow them. My TH backyard has one growing over it and the spike balls are hell! No grounding for me but interesting info. Esp about the syrup part. Thks
I get it, its a tree that isn't for everyone!
I just planted a sweet gum about 9 feet from the side of my house would u say that’s a decent distance.
They have a very wide spread, up to about 50 ft. I would move that farther out so the tree roots don't impact your foundation.
@@Growingthehomegarden hmmm ok thanks maybe I’ll replace with Japanese maple and move the sweetgum to my backyard I can put it a good 25 to 30 feet away
I just bought 48 acres in SC I have a sweet gum tree that is not looking good I would like to save ..I need help on how to save it??
Can someone please tell me if I am too late to put my seeds in the fridge? I dried out the pods about 3 weeks ago and now I have the seeds. Am I too late to put the seeds in the fridge?
I think you will be fine to do stratification then a mid summer planting. Although if you had them outdoors this winter you may be able to simply plant them out as they may have received natural stratification.
@@Growingthehomegarden thank you so much for responding. I am in Western Australia and we are still in Autumn. Winter starts in June but it doesn’t get that cold here. I think i will pop them in the fridge for a month, then leave them on a window ledge. Thanks for you help. Much appreciated ! 👍🏼
@@Growingthehomegarden Hi Dave, just following on from my last comment. I have now grown my seedlings after keeping them in the fridge for a few weeks and sewing them in my seedling tray. They have grown just over one inch tall. Very exciting! Could you please tell me when I should move them into a bigger pot?
Thank you very much for the legitimate information, big love and respect from Pakistan, I just wanted to ask that, is this tree can grow in hot countries like Pakistan? As there temperature can reach up to 40 degrees in summer. If you could guide me on that as well. Thank you
👍
New subscriber
Came to this video to learn all about gum ball trees. I love 🌳 🌲 🌴..
Was wondering can I pick off tree and plant in ground. If so how many feet I go in ground?
I haven't tried that so I can't say for sure. Normally the seeds would naturally fall out of the seed balls then land and germinate there. I wouldn't plant them very deep at all.
@@Growingthehomegarden ok. Thank you for responding. Help me alot
I have very large trees how do I tap them
Generally you purchase a tap which is a metal tube with a hook for a bucket. There is a certain time of year in your area that will be ideal so you'll need to look up when to tap trees in your area. It's usually when the sap is flowing well. Warming days and cool nights. I've seen people use tubes and have the tubes empty into a sealed gallon jug to keep dirt and bugs out. I've never tapped before but it's something I'd like to try one of these days!
Do animals like the sap from this tree? I'd like to tap the tree for maybe hummingbirds and butterflies. This is the best information about the sweet gum tree.
I don't really know. There will be sugar content in the sap but I don't know if it would be what hummingbird would like. Possibly. If you try it let me know how it works!
What do you mean by "sew it in a flat", please? Are you talking about the soil?
A flat is a planting tray that is used for sowing large amounts of seeds all together. Once things grow to a certain size they are then repotted to larger containers.
The seedling I found came from a more bushy tree not skinny
There are a few kinds of sweetgums out there. Sound like you have one of the more natural types and not a cultivar.
@@Growingthehomegarden I guess so it's still growing
They are pretty but...
I'm on the hate side lol. They are everywhere on our property. It seems like they have huge roots on top of the soil that are always creating shoots or whatever. The stupid balls will literally trip a person. Ugh they hurt my soul.
There definitely are a few negatives! Another commenter mentioned they are good as a mulch.
I was on the negative side until I learned many things about them. The beautiful little chicadee birds love them. They eat from the balls at the top of the tree. I plan to tap the syrup and make tea. It helps treat the flu! I'm still learning.
@@jtebalt Natrual anti-inflamatory as well.
They sprout up everywhere too 😬. I do have some pretty ones when no burrs
Make Tamiflu and share with your family and friends
Lmao Savin the husks for ornaments? Tryin too hard mate.
I don't know, someone might like that idea. lol
We hate the sweet gum trees in our yard because its like walking on balls. 😩 We want to cut them down.
That's a shame, because these trees offer a lot of natural benefits.. The balls can be harvested while green, cut up and put in vodka, or rum and an extract can be made of them. This extract is a natural anti-inflamatory and is also the active ingredient in tamaflu. You are basically getting near free natural medicine, much better than the over the counter and prescribed junk.. The sap from the tree has other purposes as well.
Me too. They get in my horses mane and tail. Thankful no where near the house!
@Daren Ferreira , come to my house with your ladder and a dozen friends and you can have every gum ball.